City Parks Foundationhttp://www.cityparksfoundation.org
City Parks Foundation provides free and accessible arts, sports, education and community-building programs within NYC parks.Tue, 31 Mar 2015 20:15:59 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1SummerStage Announces 30 Artists in 30 Dayshttp://www.cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage-announces-30-artists-30-days/
http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage-announces-30-artists-30-days/#commentsWed, 11 Mar 2015 15:32:59 +0000http://cityparksfoundation.org/?p=29965Starting this week, we will announce one SummerStage artist per day for 30 days leading up to the full 30th anniversary season announce on April 8th....

]]>Starting this week, we will announce one SummerStage artist per day for 30 days leading up to the full 30th anniversary season announce on April 8th. Be sure to follow SummerStage on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to receive all the announcements. Don’t forget to sign up for our emails to be the first to receive the full season schedule on April 8th.

To kick off our 30th anniversary season, we created a short video that showcases just some of the amazing artists who have played the Festival over the years. See you in the parks…very soon!

]]>http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage-announces-30-artists-30-days/feed/022 Reasons to be Excited About Parkshttp://www.cityparksfoundation.org/capacity-fund-grant/
http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/capacity-fund-grant/#commentsTue, 10 Mar 2015 19:34:56 +0000http://cityparksfoundation.org/?p=23186For 22 community groups in particular, the onset of warmer weather does not just mean a chance to put away the parka and break out the short sleeves, but a chance for them to get outside and start putting their recently awarded Capacity Fund Grant to work....

]]>Near sub-zero, bone-chilling temperatures have swept through New York City over the past month, forcing people to anxiously count down the days until spring’s sunshine and warmth fill the air. For 22 community groups in particular, the onset of warmer weather does not just mean a chance to put away the parka and break out the short sleeves, but a chance for them to get outside and start putting their recently awarded Capacity Fund Grant to work.

In January, Partnerships for Parks and the City Parks Foundation awarded $47,800 to 22 community groups and organizations across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island for the October 2014 Capacity Fund Grant round. Partnerships for Parks’ Capacity Fund Grant supports community groups dedicated to parks with funding for projects to build their capacity through supporting the group’s self-awareness, ability and sustainability.

The groups spanned 15 city council districts, reaching as far north as Williamsbridge Oval Park in the Bronx to the southeast corner of Staten Island at Wolfe’s Pond Park. Groups stretched from the heart of Harlem down to the Lower East Side in Manhattan, as well as downtown Brooklyn, Bushwick, and Kaiser Park in Coney Island – a Partnerships for Parks Catalyst Site.

Over two-thirds of the grantees are first time recipients. Whether they are newly established groups or have worked with Partnerships for years, all groups worked closely with their Outreach Coordinators to craft project proposals. Winning proposals were as diverse as the groups that made up the applicant pool. Here are a few highlights:

BronxThe Mosholu Preservation Corporation received funding to host a series of movies this year called “Movies in the Oval”, which included rental equipment, movie rights and outreach materials.

BrooklynCompost Sunset Park, made up of three Brooklyn Master Composters, will use its funding to rehabilitate a weathered three-bin compost unit in a corner of the park to create a community composting-for-gardens program and educational site, with compost created onsite and distributed locally throughout the park.

ManhattanThe Kips Bay Neighborhood Association plans to create a Tree Steward Team to attend to 14 historic trees on 2nd Avenue. In addition to tree maintenance, the group will conduct outreach and raise tree awareness through a Tree Care event and at two It’s My Park events at Albano Park.

Staten IslandWolfe’s Pond Pooches of the Wolfe’s Pond Park Dog Run will replace tables that were destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, and purchase a large banner for their events, most notably “Dog Wash” – its most popular.

The Capacity Fund grant has three cycles throughout the year. The next submission deadline is June 1, 2015. To learn more if your eligible, please visit the Capacity Fund page. You can also find a list of updated grants and training resources for your group.

]]>http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/capacity-fund-grant/feed/0Westside Collaborative Students Discover Nature Through Arthttp://www.cityparksfoundation.org/westside-collaborative-students-discover-nature-art/
http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/westside-collaborative-students-discover-nature-art/#commentsFri, 27 Feb 2015 22:27:35 +0000http://cityparksfoundation.org/?p=23151Constructing art from natural materials found in the local environment is a great way for students to explore plant communities and ecosystems. Through a partnership between Westside Collaborative, City Parks Foundation and the Department of Youth and Community Development, students in the SONYC After School program learn about the changing seasons and the effect on plant life cycles....

]]>Constructing art from natural materials found in the local environment is a great way for students to explore plant communities and ecosystems. Through a partnership between Westside Collaborative, City Parks Foundation and the Department of Youth and Community Development, students in the SONYC After School program learn about the changing seasons and the effect on plant life cycles.

Drawing inspiration from visual artist Andrew Goldsworthy, students were tasked to create autumn themed artwork using only found, natural elements. At first, projects were team-oriented, with each student joyfully interacting with their environment by collecting a wide variety of natural (and free!) materials. Popular items included the Sweetgum Tree’s (Liquidambar styraciflua) star-shaped leaves and spikey seed pods, berry pigment from the American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) and the bead-like seed pods of the Pagoda Tree (Styphnolobium japonicum).

Over several weeks students created individual paintings, sculptures and collages using these organic objects. They tracked the changes that occurred in surrounding habitats by gathering additional plant samples and using a wooden plant press to document findings. For their final projects, one student used beautiful yellow feathers, combined with pressed oak leaves and grass to create a dynamic, laminated design. Another student used a delicate reed he found by the water at Riverside Park to make a carefully painted “nature-wand.” By including an element of visual art students explored their creativity while also discovering the wide variety of plant life and ecosystems surrounding them.

]]>http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/westside-collaborative-students-discover-nature-art/feed/0Greenwich Village Park Gets Facelift With Help From Volunteershttp://www.cityparksfoundation.org/greenwich-village-park-gets-facelift-help-volunteers/
http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/greenwich-village-park-gets-facelift-help-volunteers/#commentsThu, 12 Feb 2015 21:31:26 +0000http://cityparksfoundation.org/?p=23068While only 0.19 acres, Christopher Park in Greenwich Village is a vibrant community space with a lot of history. The tiny triangle boasts a monument collection, beautiful gardens, and another landmark feature: a 140 year old wrought-iron perimeter fence. ...

]]>While only 0.19 acres, Christopher Park in Greenwich Village is a vibrant community space with a lot of history. The tiny triangle boasts a monument collection, beautiful gardens, and another landmark feature: a 140 year old wrought-iron perimeter fence. Faced with damaging corrosion slowly deteriorating the structure, and without the immediate funds for a complete restoration, the Christopher Park Alliance, a volunteer group of dedicated neighbors who care and advocate for the space, sought a creative solution for its preservation.

The Volunteer Program at Partnerships for Parks learned that this project was a priority for the Alliance and the Parks Department, and began to promote the opportunity to its network of volunteer groups. American Express quickly answered the call. Through their Serve2Gether program, American Express works with Partnerships for Parks throughout the year to impact green spaces across New York City by volunteering and bringing valuable material resources to priority park projects.

In June 2014, the first group of American Express employee volunteers kicked off this ambitious project by helping to strip years of rust and old paint from the fence. Thanks to the generosity of corporate partners, Partnerships for Parks provided the Alliance with not only helping hands, but all of the tools and supplies necessary for the job, including 20 gallons of specially treated paint. Five months later, the transformation was complete when American Express volunteers put the finishing touches on nearly 900 newly painted fence posts and ornamental finials.

Working together, the Christopher Park Alliance, American Express, and countless volunteers not only preserved a fence for many more years to come, but also contributed to the Christopher Park culture of honoring history, celebrating diversity, and building community.

]]>The 57th Grammy Awards were held last night in Los Angeles and SummerStage alumni took home 13 golden statues. The evening was jam packed full of memorable performances but one of the most poignant moments was the closing performance kicked off by Beyonce who introduced SummerStage alumni Common and John Legend. The duo closed out the awards with their song Glory from the motion picture Selma. In case you missed it, you can watch their performance here. Congrats to all the winners!

]]>City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage Showcase, in partnership with the Santa Monica Pier Twilight Concert Series, took place at the Highline Ballroom on Thursday, January 8, 2015.

“Tropical pop” singer Hollie Cook, Canadian folk group The Barr Brothers, and Brooklyn-based DJ Taylor McFerrin performed at the show and offered the audience a preview for the upcoming 30th Anniversary season.

]]>City Parks Foundation is excited to share the list of past SummerStage artists, from 1986 – 2014, who have been nominated for 2015 GRAMMY Awards. We’re proud that these artists represent such a diversity of categories – 36 in total – ranging from Best Traditional Pop Solo Performance to Best World Music Album, and everything in between! Read on for the complete list and tune in to the GRAMMY Award Show on February 8th, 2015 to see who wins!

]]>http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage-alumnai-earn-59-grammy-nominations-year/feed/0It’s My Park Day Awards Celebrate Park Leadershttp://www.cityparksfoundation.org/park-day-awards-celebrate-parks-leaders/
http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/park-day-awards-celebrate-parks-leaders/#commentsMon, 24 Nov 2014 17:04:37 +0000http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/?p=22438On November 18, 2014, Partnerships for Parks honored its community partners at the It’s My Park Awards Reception at The Museum of the City of New York. ...

With nearly 200 attendees, community partners enjoyed a beautiful venue, special access to the Mac Conner: A New York Life and Activist New York exhibits in the Museum, and delicious hors d’oerves as they mingled and networked with other volunteers, supporters, and Partnerships staff. The reception was a wonderful way to culminate the 2014 It’s My Park Day season, and to thank the many volunteers who support NYC Parks all season long. All of our guests received a special Partnerships for Parks picnic blanket, thanks to our It’s My Park Day sponsor, TD Bank.

The evening culminated with a special awards ceremony to honor the amazing work that seven partners have contributed to their local parks. As the leaders of their communities, they have demonstrated commitment to their local parks through service, advocacy and collaboration.

The following 2014 awards winners received the signature Partnerships for Parks Golden Trowel and a $100 gift card from TD Bank:

]]>City Parks Foundation and our Learning Gardens program recently celebrated the beginning of autumn with a Fall Harvest Festival. Interns who worked in the gardens during the summer were invited back to see the fruits of their labor. Taking place at two locations including Grove Hill Garden in the Bronx as well as Umoji Garden in Brooklyn, interns, friends, community residents, staff and students from the Westside Collaborative enjoyed an afternoon filled with games, crafts and delicious eats.

Visitors helped out by weeding the gardens, planting fall crops including broccoli and kale and also collected leaves for mulching which will provide a nutrient rich blanket for the plants.

Though the event was mainly for students and interns, members of the community are always welcomed and encouraged to get involved with the projects. Gatherings like this demonstrate the importance of stewardship in shared communal spaces, the benefits of teamwork and show that fall is still a great time of year to take advantage of outdoors spaces.

]]>http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/learning-gardens/feed/0Best Ways to Get Your Golf Fix…All Winter Longhttp://www.cityparksfoundation.org/best-ways-get-golf-fixall-winter-long/
http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/best-ways-get-golf-fixall-winter-long/#commentsThu, 13 Nov 2014 17:05:10 +0000http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/?p=22232Golfing here in NYC tends to be relegated to March through November, if we’re lucky. That leaves four or five long months when we golf nuts are chomping at the bit to get on the course. Don’t let the winter weather dampen your appetite for the game. There are plenty of enjoyable golf activities that you can take part in even when it may be too cold outside to play....

]]>Golfing here in NYC tends to be relegated to March through November, if we’re lucky. That leaves four or five long months when we golf nuts are chomping at the bit to get on the course. Don’t let the winter weather dampen your appetite for the game. There are plenty of enjoyable golf activities that you can take part in even when it may be too cold outside to play.

WATCH
While the heart of the golf season is over you can still find plenty of great golf on T.V. For starters, the pros are still in full swing, competing in tournaments all around the world. With the Golf Channel you can watch all of these great tournaments all winter along. Also, let’s not forgot about the instructional shows like “The Golf Fix” or “The School of Golf”. There are so many great tips you can pick up from watching these shows. I suggest taking out a notebook and jotting down some of the tips you think will help your game the most, this way you don’t forget them by the time you are ready to start playing again.

READ
Golf lends itself to some extraordinary reading materials. Whether you like books or magazines you can really find some good pieces of literature about the game of golf. I am more of a magazine guy myself. The three big, mainstream magazines out there on golf are Golf Magazine, Golf Digest and GolfWorld. Whether you are looking to grab some new tips, learn about new courses or meet some of the faces of the professional tours these magazines really cover it all. While I tend to think the days of instructional books are behind us, if that is your thing there are plenty of great ones out there that you can pick up.

BUY
I happen to think that the winter is the best time to buy some new golf equipment. There are dedicated golf equipment/apparel websites that have especially great deals around the holidays. It’s the perfect time to get year-end sales on clubs, shoes, balls, etc. While I am a fan of buying clubs pre-owned online because of the great value, the winter is a good time to go into a golf store and get a custom fitting. Many pro shops will fit you for clubs at an affordable price and then you can use that information to buy your clubs online or wherever you find the best value.

PRACTICE
We all know that the golf course probably isn’t going to come equipped with heating lamps and windscreens but there are plenty of great indoor/outdoor golf facilities where you can still go hit a few balls. Another great way to practice during the winter is utilize what I think is one of the best new inventions in golf and that is swing analysis apps. Using your mobile device or tablet you can record your swing and have it analyzed by coaches instantaneously. My personal favorites are V1 Golf and iSwing. These apps are a must have for all golfers!

GET OUT THERE
Nowadays with advanced weather technology literally at your fingertips, you can predict to the hour, what the weather is going to be like. I am constantly checking my weather apps for the mid-December day that reaches 50 degrees. When it does, and if you are as crazy about golf as I am, just get out there and play. Remember to bundle up and don’t forget to dig through the garage for those all-weather golf gloves that you got for the holidays a few years back.